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Mike Seeger/Reuters
New York City Mayor Eric Adams at City Hall on November 14, 2023.
CNN
—
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has raised more than $500,000 for a legal defense fund as federal investigators continue a public corruption investigation into his 2021 campaign, the fund told CNN on Monday.
“The Eric Adams Legal Defense Trust has garnered strong support in a short period of time, raising more than $650,000 since its founding just two months ago,” Vito Pitta, the foundation’s general counsel, told CNN. “It was,” he said. The fund is required to disclose its first round of donations to the city’s Conflicts of Interest Commission by Tuesday.
Guidance posted by the board allows city employees to establish a legal defense fund to raise money to pay certain employment-related legal claims and expenses.
According to board guidelines, the New York Democratic Party Legal Defense Fund will be required to report the names of all donors who donate more than $100 during each reporting period.
The investigation into Mr. Adams focuses on campaign finance, possible favors and foreign influence, according to officials briefed on the investigation. Mr. Adams has not been accused of wrongdoing, but he secured private legal representation at the WilmerHale office shortly after it was reported that his own campaign was under surveillance by federal investigators. did.
CNN has reached out to WilmerHale and Adams’ attorneys for comment.
The mayor launched the legal defense fund in November, weeks after the home of his chief fundraiser for the 2021 mayoral race was targeted by the FBI.
The affidavit signed by Adams states that the Eric Adams Legal Defense Trust is “necessary to defray legal costs in connection with an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York related to Adams 2021’s activities.” “There is a purpose.” Mayoral Election Committee. ”
Immediately after raiding the fundraiser’s home, investigators also seized the mayor’s electronic devices, including his cell phone and iPad.
Law enforcement officials familiar with the search warrants told CNN that investigators believe foreign nationals, who are prohibited from donating to campaigns, were using Turkish-Americans to act as “straw fundraisers” and “bundling” donations. He said he is seeking evidence that there is a possibility that The alleged scheme may have allowed funds from foreign entities to be disguised as donations from American citizens.
“We don’t donate straws, we don’t give anything in return. We follow the law, that’s clear,” Adams said in November.
Some of the allegations under investigation involve a Brooklyn-based construction company owned by a Turkish-American businessman who, according to officials, assembled employees to write checks to the Adams campaign. He is said to have paid back the donor in full, circumventing campaign finance laws.
Adams has a long and proud relationship with New York City’s Turkish American community and has traveled to Turkey six times.
Adams said his campaign complies with all legal requirements and is cooperating with the investigation.
CNN’s John Miller, Mark Morales, Celina Tebor and Cristina Sgueria contributed to this report.
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